Song of Solomon 6:2 · Bible study
Song of Solomon 6:2 Commentary: The Beloved's Garden
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Examine Song of Solomon 6:2's meaning: the beloved descends to his garden.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The beloved descends to his garden to feed and gather flowers, portraying his delight among fragrant, beautiful places, whether literal gardens, the bride, or the church.
- Key words: יָרַד (yarad, go down), גַּן (gan, garden), עֲרוּגָה (arugah, bed), לִרְעוֹת (lir'ot, to pasture), לִלְקֹט (lilkot, to gather), שׁוֹשַׁן (shoshan, lily).
- Main debate: Literal pastoral scene vs. allegory of Christ and the church; also whether the garden symbolizes the bride's person (budding, Cambridge, Lange).
- Theological theme: Christ's condescension, his shepherding care, and his gathering of believers as pure lilies.
- Best use: A foundation for teaching Christ's presence in ordinary life and the mutual delight between Christ and his people.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
My beloved has gone down to his garden, to the beds of spices, to pasture his flock in the gardens and to gather lilies.
WEB World English Bible 2000
My beloved has gone down to his garden, to the beds of spices, to pasture his flock in the gardens, and to gather lilies.
KJV King James Version 1769
My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
My beloved is gone down to his garden, To the beds of spices, To feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
My beloved went down to his garden, To the beds of the spice, To delight himself in the gardens, and to gather lilies.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, To feed in the gardens and to gather lilies.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
I to my beloved, and my beloved to me, who feedeth among the lilies.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Mi amado descendió á su huerto, á las eras de los aromas, para apacentar en los huertos, y para coger los lirios.
Ela : Meu amado desceu ao seu jardim, aos canteiros de especiarias, para apascentar seu rebanho nos jardins, e para colher lírios.
Mon bien-aimé est descendu à son jardin,
Mein Freund ist hinabgegangen in seinen Garten, zu den Würzgärtlein, daß er weide in den Gärten und Rosen breche.
Mijn Liefste is afgegaan in Zijn hof, tot de specerijbedden, om te weiden in de hoven, en om de lelien te verzamelen.
Il mio amico è disceso nel suo giardino, nell’aie degli aromi a pasturare i greggi ne’ giardini, e coglier gigli.
Jam jest miłego mego, a miły mój jest mój, który pasie między lilijami.
Мой возлюбленный пошел в сад свой, в цветники ароматные, чтобы пасти в садах и собирать лилии.
我的良人 下入 自己園中，到香花 畦，在園內 牧放群羊，採 百合花。
My loved one is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to take food in the gardens, and to get lilies.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Song of Solomon 6:2
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Song of Solomon 6:2 describes the beloved moving to a place he delights in, whether a literal garden or a symbol for the bride or the church. The verse answers the daughters' question in 6:1, with the bride, as Adam Clarke notes, giving an answer that is evasive or gently redirecting. Gill's Exposition reads the garden as the church and the beloved as Christ: the descent points to Christ's condescension in visiting believers, feeding them, and gathering souls as lilies. Lange's Commentary sees the answer as sadly ironic, suggesting the beloved's preoccupation with other matters or even other loves. The Cambridge Bible for Schools argues for a literal reading: the beloved simply returns to his ordinary pastoral and horticultural occupations, and the mention of lilies indicates he is gathering flowers for a garland. Despite these differences, all recognize that the beloved is present in the gardens (plural) and among spices; the verse portrays intimacy and delight, whether earthly or spiritual.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Literal pastoral: The beloved simply returns to work in the gardens and gather flowers; no allegory intended (Cambridge Bible, Budde).
- Christ and the church: The garden is the church, the spices are graces, the lilies are believers (Gill, Wesley, Matthew Henry).
- Evasive or ironic answer: The bride deflects the daughters' question and implies the beloved is occupied elsewhere, possibly with other loves (Lange).
- Garden as bride's person: The garden symbolizes the bride herself, echoing 4:12 and 5:1; the beloved goes to her (Budde, as critiqued by Cambridge).
What is clear: The beloved goes to a garden that is his own, filled with spices and lilies, where he feeds and gathers—a place of his delight, whether literal or symbolic.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Literal vs. Allegorical Reading | The beloved goes to a place of natural beauty and delight, and his activity suggests provision and intimacy. | Some read this as a literal pastoral episode (Cambridge Bible), while others see Christ gathering souls in the church (Gill, Wesley) or the bride herself as the garden (Budde, cited in Cambridge). |
| Identity of the Garden | The garden is his own, and it is a place of spices, fragrant and cultivated. | It may be the literal royal gardens near Jerusalem (Gill) or a figure for the church catholic and particular congregations (Matthew Henry, Wesley). |
| Meaning of 'Gathering Lilies' | Lilies symbolize purity and beauty; gathering them implies choosing or taking delight. | Some see it as collecting flowers for a garland (Cambridge Bible); others as Christ gathering righteous souls (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) or as amorous activity with other loves (Lange). |
| Tone of the Bride's Answer | The answer addresses the daughters' question about the beloved's whereabouts. | Is it evasive and sadly ironic (Lange), or a confident, pastoral direction (Keil & Delitzsch, Matthew Henry)? The Cambridge Bible sees it as a natural statement without irony. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The Song of Solomon is a collection of love poems, likely from the Solomonic era. Gardens were common in ancient Israel; they were walled enclosures planted with fruit trees, spices, and flowers. Solomon himself was known for his magnificent gardens and parks (Ecclesiastes 2:5). Two pools near Jerusalem, the king's gardens at the descent of Mount Zion, were supplied by the Lower Pool (Nehemiah 3:15). Gill cites Josephus that Solomon would travel in state to Etham, a place of gardens and flowing water.
In the poem, the beloved descending to a garden echoes earlier scenes. In 4:12 the bride is called a locked garden; in 5:1 the beloved enters his garden. Now in 6:2 the beloved goes down to his garden after the bride's dream of seeking him (5:2-8). The daughters of Jerusalem ask, “Where has your beloved gone?” (6:1). The bride's answer may be deliberately ambiguous. She uses pastoral and horticultural images familiar from her speech (compare 1:7, 2:16). The word “go down” (יָרַד) can imply descent from a palace or hill, locating the garden in a lower area. “Beds of spices” (עֲרוּגוֹת הַבֹּשֶׂם) point to the luxurious, fragrant parklands. “To pasture” (לִרְעוֹת) and “to gather” (לִלְקֹט) are infinitive verbs describing purposeful activity. The plural “gardens” suggests not just one private garden but a larger complex, perhaps royal or agricultural. The lilies (שׁוֹשַׁנִּים) were a common flower in Palestine, associated with beauty and purity; they appear elsewhere in the Song as a metaphor for the beloved or the bride (2:1-2). The verse thus places the beloved in a setting of natural abundance, whether read literally or symbolically.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Song of Solomon 6:2. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts. A few translations differ in the phrase 'to pasture his flock' (WEB, BSB) vs. 'to feed' (KJV, ASV) or 'to delight himself' (YLT), but these reflect interpretive choices for the verb לִרְעוֹת, not a different underlying text. The Douay-Rheims follows the Septuagint and Vulgate, which render the line differently: 'I to my beloved, and my beloved to me, who feedeth among the lilies.' This version conflates verse 2 with verse 3.
Reception History
Jewish and Christian interpreters have long read the Song allegorically. Jewish tradition saw the beloved as God and the bride as Israel; Christian tradition identified the beloved with Christ and the bride with the church or the individual soul. Origen's commentary on the Song set the pattern for this spiritual reading. During the Reformation, Matthew Henry and others continued the allegorical stream, seeing the garden as the church and the lilies as believers. The literal reading gained ground in the 19th century as historical-critical methods emerged; scholars like the Cambridge Bible argued for a natural, pastoral scene. Modern readers often appreciate both levels: the poem's earthy, sensual beauty and its capacity to express the soul's longing for God.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The beloved's movement. He goes down to his garden. This can speak of Christ condescending to meet his people in lowly places, or of a lover returning to a scene of shared delight.
- Spices and lilies. The beds of spices evoke fragrance and grace. Lilies suggest purity and beauty, the bride herself is called a lily. Christ gathers his people as precious flowers.
- The bride's confidence. Though the beloved has withdrawn, she knows where to find him. Her answer to the daughters points to his character and habits, not just his location.
Five-point outline
- “My beloved has gone down”: the direction of humility.
- “To his garden”: the place of his delight (the church or the heart).
- “To the beds of spices”: the fragrance of graces and prayers.
- “To pasture his flock in the gardens”: shepherding and feeding the faithful.
- “And to gather lilies”: harvesting saints for earth and heaven.
Illustration hooks
- A gardener who tends each plant with care, knowing where each flower grows best. The beloved knows where to find his own.
- When a spouse goes to work, they may leave for a time but return with gifts. So the beloved gathers lilies for his bride.
- In rural communities, a shepherd leads flocks to fresh pasture and picks wildflowers for children. The beloved provides and delights.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does Jesus sometimes seem absent even when I am seeking him? How do I find him again?
- Is it wrong to use romantic language to speak of my relationship with God?
- How can I be sure that the beloved (Christ) is still near when I don't feel his presence?
Leading a Discussion
This verse appears in the middle of a love dialogue. The women of Jerusalem ask where the beloved has gone, and the bride answers with a pastoral image. Her answer reveals her confidence in his character and routines. In small groups, use these questions to explore the meaning of spiritual seeking and intimacy.
Discussion questions
- What does the bride's answer suggest about her relationship with her beloved? Why doesn't she give a direct location?
- Read Song of Solomon 6:2 alongside 5:1. What is similar? What is different? How does the garden shift meaning from one verse to the other?
- The beloved “goes down” to the garden. What does this descent imply about humility or accessibility? Compare Philippians 2:5-8.
- “Lilies” appear several times in the Song (2:1-2, 2:16, 5:13). What qualities do lilies represent, and why would the beloved gather them?
- How would you explain this verse to someone who sees it only as ancient love poetry and not as spiritual allegory?
- In what ways do believers today “go down” to meet God in ordinary places, work, home, nature?
- The bride says “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine” in verse 3. How does this mutual belonging shape the way we approach prayer and worship?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Song of Solomon 1:7 | Tell me, you whom my soul loves, where you graze your flock, where you rest them at noon; for why should I be as one who is veiled beside the flocks of your companions? |
| Song of Solomon 1:8 | If you don’t know, most beautiful among women, follow the tracks of the sheep. Graze your young goats beside the shepherds’ tents. |
| Song of Solomon 2:1 | I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys. |
| Song of Solomon 2:2 | As a lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters. |
| Song of Solomon 4:12 | My sister, my bride, is a locked up garden; a locked up spring, a sealed fountain. |
| Song of Solomon 5:1 | I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride. I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Friends Eat, friends! Drink, yes, drink abundantly, beloved. |
| Song of Solomon 5:13 | His cheeks are like a bed of spices with towers of perfumes. His lips are like lilies, dropping liquid myrrh. |
| Song of Solomon 6:11 | I went down into the nut tree grove, to see the green plants of the valley, to see whether the vine budded, and the pomegranates were in flower. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes the bride speaks these words as she replies to her friends. She describes her beloved having entered his own private garden.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the question from the chorus and the bride's reply together signal a lighthearted tone. The loss and the search described in the exchange are not meant to be taken with grave seriousness.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges holds that these verses describe a literal situation where the lover has returned to his usual work. The bride believes he is gathering a garland for her as he often has before.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note emphasizes the mutual and exclusive belonging between Christ and the believer: each fully possesses the other. Christ's feeding among the lilies pictures his gentle care for his church, which he delights in and nourishes as his own pure and beloved people.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill connects the verse to Solomon's habit of visiting gardens near Jerusalem, seeing it as a picture of Christ's condescension to his people in their lowly earthly state. Christ comes to feed among the beds of spices, representing believers with fragrant graces, and to gather lilies, meaning saints fully ripe for death.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Jamieson Fausset Brown notes the mountain of myrrh is the place where his soul rests in paradise and later in heaven. He also sees the gardens as a spiritual church inviting people to become pure like lilies.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch see the lilies as symbols pointing to a higher kind of beauty. They believe the garden scene represents spiritual realities rather than just a historical setting.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange notes that Shulamith’s answer about her lover in the garden is not a joke but sad irony showing her pain over his infidelity. She uses garden imagery to suggest he is busy with other women instead of her.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry sees the song as a description of Christ. He believes the women who ask where he is are the church seeking him together with Christ.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley reads the spouse's successful search as the believer's answer from God, directed to find Christ in the